Pre-schools burgeon in Sainikpuri, ASR Nagar

Hyderabad: Pre-primary schools are mushrooming in the city at a rapid rate. Most of the nuclear families have both the parents working. The life of a child in a pre- primary school is the first phase when the children are separated from the comfort and security zone of their parents.

There are a total of 30 pre-primary schools from ECIL to Neredmet and Kushaiguda to Sainikpuri. The pre-primary schools have increased in such an amount that we find 2-3 pre-primary schools in the inner areas of the city. "I have seen at least three houses in Sainikpuri and Vayupuri alone being converted into pre-schools. How many are equipped with facilities and qualified staff is a question," said M S Sujit Varma, a retired Air Force officer.

There is a difference between pre-primary school with a franchise and a standalone pre-primary school. The pre-primary school with a franchise is linked with a well-known pre-primary school. The benefit at these pre-primary schools is that they provide all the facilities including buses.

The approximate fee charged by these schools is Rs 60,000 per annum, including transport facilities. The standalone pre-primary schools are the schools that are opened in their own residence. The approximate fee charged by these schools is Rs 25,000 per annum.

The franchisees pre-primary school provides their students with all the goodies including school bags and other stationeries. A big challenge for home grown school is the lack of development of an effective curriculum.

A curriculum that is not research based and well designed automatically results in lack of substantial learning for students. Lack of curriculum can also impact its admissions and profitability. There are no legal requirements for setting up a pre-primary school in India. But they need to register with educational and civic authorities.

Dr S Sujatha, a principal and owner of Abhilasha Pre-School "I am yet to register with the corporation. The process is too long and you have to connect with a person in the corporation to make your work done. I have just started this play school 4 months ago.

Since this has been a new pre-primary school in the area, the fee is Rs 25,000. There are six children in this school as of now. The reason behind me starting up a pre-primary school is that I am a qualified child psychologist."

T Priyanka, a parent said, "My reason of choosing the pre-primary school without a franchise is because of affordability and proximity. At least my daughter gets to learn something rather than just sitting at home." Sakshi S, a parent said, "These schools with franchise have best infrastructure than those of the others."

By Tejal Sinha